Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-07-15
Men IN Their Bones.

The doctor began to talk about
skeletons. He drew a trade circular,
issued by wholesale dealer in surgi-
cil instruments and supplies, from his
pocket. The circular contained an
annual review Of the surgical instru-
ments and supplies market. Part
way down the neatly printed page ap-
peared this paragraph, which the doc.
tor read:
skeletons have ruled firm and
active throughout the year, with
prices unchanged We have been
able to supply the demand for the
common varieties promptly, but the
finer grades were scarce, and orders
for deformities could not always be
filed at once. In this regard the
market is still unchanged, although
our broker in Paris has orders to buy
everything offered at the usual
rates"
The doctor read the paragraph
much as boys on the street eat ice
cream out of the penny goblets they
buy Of Italian vendors. that s,slowlv
and with evident relish. When he
had finished it and folded the circular
be said:
"There is no branch of the enor-
nous import trade of the American
people so interesting as the trade in
skeletons, although its magnitude
and Importance are not known to but
few. Not that its magnitude or value
make it interesting; it attracts atten-
tion solely because the article is in
itself fascinating. But there are fea.
lures of the trade that may not escape
the eye of the political economist.
For instance, this great nation of
60,0O0,OO0 of people is wholly de-
pendent on foreign countries for its
skeletons. Not but what physician
here and there may have specimen
which has been untimely snatched
from the country graveyard, but the
stock skeletons of the country are all
imported, and that, too, simply be-
cause the pauper labor of the old
world is able to string bones together
for less money than an American
laborer could live and pay taxes
on.
ANATOMICAL KNOWLEDGE.
"The man who can put the bones
of the human frame together must be
an anatomist; he must know, for in
stance, where the collar bone is locat-
ed and what its functions are. No
anatomist, not even pauper anato-
mist in the morgue in Paris, would
be so foolish as to rest the butt of a
gun containing four drams of powder
and an ounce and quarter of shot on
his collar bone, and in that position
fire it. Collar bones were not made
for that use Now although possess
ed of so much more knowledge than
some sportsmen, the Paris anatomist
is willing to work for franc a day,
and the capitalist wto employs him
is thus enabled to sell skeletons at
such a low rate that even new fedg-
ed doctors in America cannot COM
pete.
Incredible as it may seem, q
skeleton we'll mounted and neatly
packed in white pine box can be had
for the small sum of $500. The box
can be stood on end. with the skele-
ton hanging from the top by screw
running down through the skull. If
the box is covered with red plush and
lined blue satin the simple packing
case becomes q neat. attractive and
economical anatomical closet. Of
course, most ply ysicians prefer black
walnut cabinet, with glass doors COW
cred with red curtain, but that is q
matter of taste, not that l would rec
ommend any one to purchase a $50
skeleton unless for temporary use.
They are not over substantial; they
cannot be polished up very nicely, and
they are apt to crumble. You see, the
$50 corpses are Of people well advanc-
ed in life, where the calcerous matter
predominates in the bones. Besides,
some people have bones that are nat
urally more brittle than other peo-
ple's. The anatomist in the Paris
skeleton factory is able to tell by the
looks of the subject just how far he
may go in whitening the bone for
mounting, for the whitening process
tends to make the bones more brittle
than they are naturally. The skele-
ton of a young person whose bones
are of the right quality will stand o
gread deal of work, and great deal
of work. even at at franc a day.
means an enhanced price. A first.
class skeleton will bring 1925, and at
that figure it would be q delight to
the profession, having silver plated
wire articulations, and everything in
style. Now and then some man with
an artistic taste in such matters will
have a skeleton mounted with solid
silver, Although not quite so SUBJ
stantial or we'll able to stand the
rough usage to which students sub.
ject such specimens, this love of the
beautiful ought by oil means to be en-
couraged.
AT MODERATE PRICES.
"The ordinary demand for skele-
tons is like the demand in most
branches of trade. Good, substantial
goods at moderate prices are what
are wanted. Well whitened bones
articulated with polished steel and
packed in good cases at from $50 to
$40 are in such demand that you
couldn't find half dozen-no, nor a
quarter dozen-in the city at any one
time, except shortly after the arrival
of a French line steamer, when o
fresh importation might increase the
stock temporarily. Not less than 300
of these skeletons are sold every year
right here in this city, where all the
important houses are located. /
want to emphasize the fact that the
importing houses are located right
here. because Chicago House and a
concern in Boston both advertise
skeletons of their own importation,
when the custom house returns do
not show any consignments of such
goods to either house. This attempt
to take away part of New York's
prestige as trade centre ought to be
n icnA nrooa1